I was reading some of the comments on this movie’s wall and there were a couple that caught my eye. Firstly, I am gobsmacked that anybody would find this movie boring. You must lead very interesting lives, I must say! Secondly, to counter the suggestion that the film can’t decide whether it wants to be a psychological drama or a political thriller, I would argue that The Crying Game knows exactly what it wants to be, and it’s neither of those things – it’s a good old-fashioned love story with a modern twist, nothing more. Neil Jordan is only really interested in the thriller element as a means of setting up the offbeat love triangle at the heart of the story, which is why he gets in and out of that terrorist safe-house at the beginning faster than a Navy Seal without a Pakistani work permit, leaving Stephen Rea’s IRA foot soldier and Forest Whitaker’s British Army hostage barely enough time to form a credible friendship. When Adrian Dunbar and Miranda Richardson show up again, two thirds of the way through the picture, yes, they create a bit of danger, but their primary reason for being there is to manoeuvre Fergus (Rea) into a position where he has no option but to reveal his guilty secret to Dil (Jaye Davidson). Which brings me on to another point: much is always made of the famous twist in The Crying Game, but the real dramatic fulcrum of the story is Fergus’ secret, not Dil’s, which is why the film can be enjoyed a second or third time, long after that twist has ceased to function. Nevertheless, Jordan deserves praise for playing a scrupulously fair hand and hiding his surprise in plain view – even going so far as to drop hints(!) – when most other directors would be working overtime to keep their cards to their chest. Rea and Davidson are superb and, in spite of being miscast, Forest Whitaker demonstrates that you don’t need to nail an accent to deliver a winning performance.